Panoramic receiving system



July 15, 1952 G. P. MGCOUCH PANORAMIC RECEIVING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 3, 1946 A /NVE/VTR GORDON P. MC COUCH 7l/MM 2M.

ATTURNEY Patented July 15, 1.952

PANORAMIC RECEIvINGsYsTEM Gordon P; McCouch, Cambridge`,;Mass., .assignorg` togthe United' States of America as bythe Secretary of War Application J anuary3, 1946',v SeriafNo. 638,900' j Y 1v This invention relates to electrical apparatus andl moreA particularly to v panoramic receiving systems. i 'i Panoramic receivers providea visualdisplay superheterodyne `receiver at a point'between the-- mixerstage and vthe intermediate -frequencyamp'lifierof-the standard receiver. The ypanoramic adapter itself includesy a broad band4 amplifier having a double humpfrequency response characteristic, a panoramic mixer Ihavinga frequency modulated local oscillator associated therewith, ainarroW. band intermediate frequency amplifier, a detector, an .amplifier and a cathode ray tube. One set vof plates of the cathode ray tube is connected to' thezoutput of the amplifier andthe other set of plates is connected to a voltage which is 'afunction lofthe instantaneous'frequen'cy1of the frequency modulated local oscillator. Hence a panoramic presentation of the signals: present in the mixer output'- ofrthev standard receiver is displayed on the cathode ray; tube. lThe double hump frequency response characteristic of' the broadband amplierfin the panoramic adapter is intended to compensate lfcr'theqsloping sides of the frequency response characteristic at the standard receiver` mixer output. The resultant shouldbe al fairly uniform frequency response characteristic (though limited frequency band) at the output of the broad band amplifier of the panoramic adapter. f

There' -areseveral g disadvantages:A inusing the panoramic adapter. Inherently the` panoramic presentation is confined to a fairly limited band of frequencies.. In addition, tuning the-standard receiver will alter.l the panoramic display, which `is confusing. and particularly undesirable -Where `it presentation on a cathode ray tube'ofthe signalsV inaV band of frequencies and afseparate'auxiliary receiverwhich mayY be tuned to` any frequency Within said band of. frequencies. f

A further object of the'present invention is to provide anindication onsaid cathodeY ray tube of. the frequency to Which-,said auxiliary receiver is tuned. Y Y

sclaims. (o1. 250g-'zoal represented a sti-nimmer object brthefinvennon isfmpm-` vide saidendication without the 'use of 'additional Other objects and advantages-of the'invention will-'be apparent duringl the coursefof the following description.

The invention utilizes a panoramic superheterodynefreceiver anda separate auxiliary superheterodynewreceiver;` The intermediate frequen-V cies--and` the local oscillator frequencies of the two-receiversl are chosen so that, for both receivers tuned,` to `thesames'ignal frequency, the local oscillator-"frequency of the auxiliary receiverisidentical with the signal image frequency forithe'panoramicreceiven Therefore radiation fromr the auxiliary receiver local oscillatorfis` picked up by the panoramicreceiver 'just as any other `sig-nal Wouldbe. The relations'necessar'y to-accomplishjthis are:

l 1i Both local oscillators should be either above or below the signal band of frequencies.

2. Theintermediatefrequency of the -auxiliary Y receiver shouldv be twice the intermediate' frequency of the panoramic receiver.

Eig'. Iiiszagblockzdiagrami offa panoramic'receiving systemcwhi'ch .illustrates one possibleembodi-v mentoftheinvention; v.

2shows1 one lpossib'le: arrangement of the variousfrequency bands relevant .to thegoperation r of "the g panoramic receiving: system vof tEig., land is dravvnf` tofsimplifytheexplanation; of the; in`

venticn In Figa/1,1 numeral [Ui/designates an antenna adaptedto-.furnish radio frequency vsignals toa panoramic` receiver and toa separate auxiliary listen-through receiver. Both receivers are ofithev superhetero dyney type.

U'Iqhe.: vpanoramic receiver; includes f* a" broad handY tunedy radio frequency amplifier; circuit H which is adapted' to pass the signal band ofV frequencies :under: investigation to.- a. pani orami c;mixer; ori frequency conversion circuit i2;

Associated with panoramic mixer I2 is a frequency modulated local oscillator I3. The frequency modulated oscillator I3 furnishes a frequency modulated output having an instantaneous frequency (fs-I-Fi), where F1 is some intermediate frequency and fs varies continuously between the limits of the signal band of frequencies.

While frequency modulated oscillator I3 is here shown as operating at frequencies above the signal band of frequencies, it is to be understood that frequency modulated oscillator I3 may Y operate as well as frequencies below the signal band of frequencies, this choice being one of Ide'- sign.

An intermediate frequency amplifier I4 tuned to a frequency of F1 is electrically connected to f A dethe output of the panoramic'mixer I2.

tector I5 and amplifier IB follow the intermediate I frequency amplifier I4 ingthe customary manner. One set of plates of a cathode ray tube I 1 is electrically'connected totheV output of amplifier J6'. The other set of plates of the cathode rayitube I'I 1s electrically connected to a voltage which' is a function of the instantaneous frequency of the frequency modulated oscillator I3 connection not shown) A The separate auxiliary listen-through receiver which operates in the same frequency range as the panoramic receiver includes a selective tuned radio, frequency amplifier circuit adapted to pass a Acomparatively narrow band'of frequencies as compared `withvthe signal. band of frequencies at the input to panoramic mixer I2. A mixer or frequency conversion circuit 2I is electrically connected tothe output of the selective (this latter V tuned. radio frequency circuit 20.v Associated with mixer 2I is a tunable local oscillator 22 having a signal frequencyv of Fea-ZF# where Fs is the frequency to which the auxiliary-receiverv The tunablelocal oscillator 22 is electrically coupled to the input of panoramic mixer I2. This may be a direct coupling, or if the shielding is poor,rstray'coupling may be sufficient."

I The following description, taken with reference to'Figs. 1 and 2, will clarify th'e'operationof the panoramic receiving system shown in Fig. 1. It` will be assumed that both local oscillators are operated atfrequencies above the signal band of frequencies, lbutit should' be understood that theinvention is equally applicable Where both local oscillators are operated below the signal band of frequencies. 'I'he frequency bands indicatedV on Fig.' 2 are purely exemplary and are intended to simplify the explanation of the invention.

'Ihe output of the broad bandtuned radio frequency amplifier circuit II will be the signal band of frequencies under study Aby the panoramic receiving system, and is indicated as the'signal band (Fig. 2) .1 Let us suppose, for example, that this signal band extends from 45'to 50V mega-" cycles and let us suppose that the intermediate frequency F1 is 6 megacycles. Then, since fs varies from 45 to 50 megacyoles, the frequency of the frequency modulated oscillator I3 (fs-l-Fi) Will vary from 51 to 56 megacycles. By connecting one set of plates of cathode ray tube I'I to the output of amplifier I6 vandthe other set of plates to a voltage which is a function of the instantaneous frequency of frequency modulated oscillator I3, a panoramic presentation of signals in the signal band 45 to 50 megacycles will be displayed on the cathode ray tube I'I.

The auxiliary listen-through receiver would, in thisvexample,l be tunable to any frequency in the 45 to 50 megacycle band. The intermediate frequency amplifier 23 of the auxiliary listenthrough receiver is'tuned to a frequency of 2F1, which in the present case would be l2 megacycles. Hence, the tunable oscillator 22 would be tunable over the range of 57 to 62 megacycles. However, the range of the tunable. oscillator 22 then coincides with the image frequency band forthe Ypanoramic mixerv l2 andby. coupling the outputv of tunableoscillator 22 -tothe input of Thus presentation means 26,"

panoramic mixer I2, an indicationon the cathode :ray tube IIfwill be obtained corresponding to the frequencygto which the auxiliary listen-through receiver is tuned.

The indication will, of course, be similar toY that of any other signal. vIdentification of the indicating markervmay be accomplished by any.

one of several methods. For example, -thelisten-through receiver may be detuned momenf tarily or the coupling between oscillator 22 and selected from the panoramicallyr presented band' ofv frequencies may be madewithout interfering with thepanoramic presentation during the listening period. Y

(2) Rapid setting of the auxiliary-receiver to auxiliary receiver with that ofthe signal under;

investigation is possible.

V(4)' No additional circuits other thanthe twoV receivers are required.

It will be apparent: that there maybe devia-f tions from the invention as described which still fall fairly'withinf the'spirit and scope vof the invention. 1' Accordingly' I claim all such deviations which fall fairly within the lspirit ,and Ascope oivthe invention las identified in the*hereinafterl appendedmaim's.' f f 1' Y What is claimed is: Apanora'micreceiving system for a band of frequenciesincluding a panoramic superheterodyne'y receiver for said band of frequencies, an 1 auxiliary superheterodyne receiver having means' Afor the tuning thereof over said band yof frequencies, the intermediate frequency of said auxiliary superheterodyne receiver beingtwicenthe intermediate frequency of said lpanoramic superheterodyne receiver, the Vfrequencie'sof the local oscillators of the two receivers lying on the same side of a signal frequency when said two receivers are both tuned to said lsignal frequency, and means for electrically coupling the local oscillator of said auxiliary superheterodyne re.-

heterodyne receiver.

panoramic super- 2. A panoramic receiving system as in claim 1 in which said panoramic superheterodyne receiver includes a broad band tuned radio frequency circuit for passingv said band of frequencies, a panoramic mixer electrically connected to the output of said broad band tuned radio frequency circuit, a frequency modulated local oscillator associated with said panoramic mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier for amplifying the output of said panoramic mixer, a detector for rectifying the output of said intermediate frequency amplier, an amplifier for amplifying the output of said detector and a cathode ray tube, said cathode ray tube having one set of plates electrically connected to the output of said amplier and the other set of plates supplied with a voltage which is a function of the instantaneous frequency of said frequency modulated local oscillator whereby a panoramic presentation of said band of frequencies on said cathode ray tube is effected.

3. A panoramic receiving system as in claim 1 in which said auxiliary superheterodyne receiver includes a narrow band tuned radio frequency circuit having means for the tuning thereof over said band of frequencies, a mixer electrically connected to the output of said narrow band tuned radio frequency circuit, a tunable local oscillator coupled to said mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier for amplifying the output of said mixer, a detector for rectifying the output lof said intermediate frequency amplifier, an amplifier for amplifying the output of said detector and presentation means for changing the output of said amplifier to sensory information.

GORDO-N l?. MCCOUCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES y Electronic Industries Article, Panoramic Principles by W. E. Moulic, July 1944, pages 86 to 88 and 106. l 

